1) Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a storage unit and a storage method for storing broadcasts.
2) Description of the Related Art
Conventionally, in reservation for recording of a television program or the like, a user inputs a channel of a program, which the user wishes to reserve for recording, a recording starting date and time, and the like to a video recorder based on a broadcast schedule or the like of television programs appeared on a newspaper or a magazine or inputs a G code of the program, which the user wishes to reserve for recording, to the video recorder. In addition, a video recorder or the like learns preferences of a user (a viewer of programs) based on states of use of the video recorder or the like by the user and automatically records television programs identical with or similar to the preferences of the user.
Incidentally, in recent years, an Electronic Program Guide (EPG) has been spread rapidly. A viewer can perform recording reservation of television programs based on the EPG by causing a video recorder or the like to receive the EPG.
A broadcast video automatic recording apparatus described in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2000-175141 includes a unit for storing a search keyword designated by a user in advance and a unit for collecting program information concerning broadcast videos. The broadcast video automatic recording apparatus automatically selects a program to be an object of recording by collating the designated search keyword and the collected program information and controls a receiver to accumulate received videos of the recording object program in an image file.
According to the conventional technique, it is possible to automatically record a program based on a designated keyword. However, when a program to be broadcasted is a new program in an unprecedented new genre, it is difficult to designate a keyword that coincides with program information of the program in the new genre. Thus, the program is hardly regarded as a recording object. Therefore, it is likely that a program desired by a user cannot be recorded.
Popularity of a serial or the like to be started anew tends to be determined after a first few episodes are broadcasted. Therefore, for example, when a user is informed of the serial by an acquaintance or the like after a first few episodes of the serial are broadcasted, the user can only watch the serial from the middle episode.